Seventeen Girl- Chapter 15

 

“Wake up sleepyhead.” I ruffle Seungkwan’s hair.

 

“Ugh.” He grumbles. “What time is it?”

 

“Just past 12:30.” I read the alarm clock.

 

We’re now in Hong Kong as we flew here yesterday for... MAMA!

 

It’s a huge honour for any group, let alone a rookie group. We’re up for best new male artist.

 

But with or without awards, to perform on the same stage as so many amazing artists is crazy.

 

And our first concert is next week, so it’s an extra exciting but important time. All that extra practice has to show. I need to show that I deserve to be here.

 

“Come get me when  you’re ready, we can get something to eat before practice.” I give Seungkwan some space and leave the room. I’m already dressed in sports leggings and a cropped grey hoodie.

 

When he FINALLY knocks on my door we get cereal from the cafeteria, then meet up with everyone to go to the concert hall.

 

It’s only a short walk but we still need security as the number of fans and flashing cameras rises the closer we get. We wave happily as they scream our names.

 

Our manager shows their pass and we’re let in. It’s just as busy inside, with staff and idols all about, getting ready for the big night.

 

We’ve been on lots of music shows but MAMA is truly for the best of the best. It’s unreal how many big names are here this year.

 

All of us bow hurriedly as Taeyeon walks past us with a wave. 

 

“Ohmygod!” I whisper-scream to Seokmin.

 

“I know!” He whisper-screams back. 

 

“Go wait backstage until we call you.” A staff member holding a clipboard points and where we need to go. We follow her instruction and sit in the seats.

 

“Hey guys!” Shownu greets us. Our two groups say hello and we sit next to each other, settling into conversation.

 

“You excited?” Changkyun asks me.

 

“I am. It’s going to be so amazing.”

 

“Yeah our performance is sick.” He agrees. 

 

Coming off the stage after finishing their practice is none other than Twice!

 

As groups who debuted in the same year, we’ve had some interactions and I’ve hung out with some members a few times.

 

“Hi Cami.” Dahyun chimes.

 

“Hi! How did it go?”

 

“It was great, we’re gonna be perfect tomorrow. Hope you practice goes well.”

 

“Thank you. I’ll see you around.” I say goodbye.

 

I head up to the stage with the boys. It is HUGE. I swear it’s bigger than my house. And the thousands of seats surrounding us, I can already imagine thousands of people watching us. 

 

This collab stage is awesome. We’ve got it down to a T but doing it on the actual stage is slightly different from how we practiced it in Korea.

 

The staff tell us to take our places and it goes like this. Monsta X starts with Trespass then it goes to us with a special version of Mansae. 

 

Jooheon performs a special rap and after the Performance Unit has a dance bit. The performance ends with both groups dancing together. 

 

We practice the separate parts to the staff members’ instructions, stringing them all together to perform the whole thing a couple times. 

 

Once they’re satisfied it’s a wrap and there’s high fives all around. 

 

“Good job everyone!” Seungcheol praises us all before we go back to the hotel. 

 

It’s late but we’re free for the rest of the night. I flop onto the newly made bed after freshening up.

 

I take my phone off charging on the bedside and check my messages. There’s one from Damien.

 

Damien: How it’s going?

 

I type a reply.

 

Me: Really well, just came back from practice. Looking forward to tomorrow!

 

Damien: It’s gonna be weird seeing you on TV instead of irl. I’m rooting for you

 

Me: Thanks :)

 

Then I receive another message. It’s from Dahyun.

 

Dahyun: Hey, you got any plans tonight?

 

Me: I’m free, what’s up?

 

Dahyun: Some of the guys from Got7 are showing us around. Would you and your members want to come along?

 

I relay her message to the groupchat, getting replies back in a few minutes. 

 

Me: Sounds good. I’ll come with Jihoon, Vernon and Chan and meet you on your floor in 15 mins?

 

Dahyun: Cool, see you then :D

 

I get the guys and we go to their floor where the Twice members. We walk along the hallway, discussing what we’ll be getting into until we see Dahyun, Nayeon, Momo and Chaeyoung chatting with Jackson, Bambam and Yugyeom. They welcome us and Jackson tells us the plan for the evening. 

 

“This market has the best street food, so we’ll start there.” Jackson tells us. We decide to leave the hotel through the back in small groups, so we don’t draw attention to anyone hungry for a glimpse of some idols.

 

Instead of leaving in our groups, we split up into boys and girls, so I stay behind with Dahyun and her members while the guys exit the building first. 

 

“You guys are so cool.” I state shyly.

 

“Aww thank you.” Nayeon gleams.

 

“You’re such a great dancer.” Momo compliments me and it makes me smile. A comment like that means a lot from an amazing performer like her. 

 

“Thank you. Your dancing is wonderful.” I compliment back.

 

“Do you take pictures?” Chaeyoung brings attention to my camera hanging on me.

 

“Oh, no. I was hoping to make a vlog while I’m here since it’s my first time in Hong Kong.”

 

“That’s a lovely way to record some memories.” Dahyun nods.

 

We chat more on our way to meet the boys. I’ve met Twice a few times, but really I’m only close to Dahyun. 

 

Not because of anything negative, but it feels so intimidating being around them. They’re so popular and polished, why would they want to be around me?

 

Honestly I need to get out of my own head. Our talk is so fun and engaging I almost walk past the guys when we arrive at the market entrance. 

 

We make our way down the street, I’m in the back with Dahyun, Bambam and Vernon.

 

“I’d love to visit London some day.” Bambam dreams.

 

“Avoid all those touristy places though, they’re so overrated.” I advise. “But the museums and galleries are really cool.”

 

A booth full of anime merchandise catches our eye. We take a look at some posters and quietly giggle at the obviously bootleg figures.

 

“We should get some of those.” Vernon points to a stall selling egg waffles. They smell really good so we all agree. The four us speak to the owner, telling them what toppings we want. We get two to share between us. I share with Dahyun and Bambam shares with Vernon. Vernon ends up paying for all of us. 

 

“Thanks Vernon.” Dahyun says before eating a piece. Bambam and I say our thanks after her.

 

“No problem, guys.” Vernon smiles.

 

30 minutes pass until we see everyone again at the end of the market and start following Jackson again. I take a few pictures of some street signs as we walk along a new street.

 

Then I start to take a video, recording all the different shops we pass. Yugyeom, Chan, Nayeon and Momo wave into the camera.

 

“You guys hungry?” Most of us reply yes to Jackson. “Great I know just the place.”

 

10 minutes of walking later we stop in front of a cozy looking restaurant. A middle aged man with an apron wrapped around his waist stands at the entrance. 

 

His face lights up when he sees Jackson, he brings him in for a handshake and pats him on the back. They exchange some words in Chinese.

 

“Come in come in!” The man opens the door and we all enter after him.

 

Him and Jackson continue to speak until he shows us to a large round table with lots of seats. We sit down and he gives Jackson a green laminated double sided menu.

 

“My family have come here for years.” Jackson explains. “His english isn’t very good so I’ll order for you guys. Got any allergies?” We give Jackson our preferences and he walks off to the counter to order.

 

“Hyung took us here last year.” Yugyeom explains.

 

“The food is amazing!” Bambam his lips jokingly.

 

Talk starts again, mainly about our excitement for tomorrow night. Eventually the table gets filled with plates and chopsticks, a huge bowl of rice and loads of different dishes. Jackson gives thanks to the staff on our behalf.

 

“Could you ask them if they could take a picture of us?” I pass my camera along the table to Jackson and ask him to translate.

 

The waitress agrees and takes some smiley and silly pictures of us before handing the camera back to me. 

 

Now it’s time to eat. I look curiously at all this Hong Kong cuisine, picking small samples of dishes that look appealing on my plate along with some rice.

 

It smells good and tastes even better. I like this spicy beef dish especially.

 

“You should try some of this!” I pick up some and put it on Chan’s plate. He tried a tiny bit, but the spice still gets him.

“It burns my tongue... but I still want more!” He speaks between sips of water.

 

Chaeyoung gets a sketch pad out once she finishes eating. She starts to draw a potted plant near our table. I watch in awe as she puts the plant on paper in her own style. 

 

“That looks great!” I say.

 

“Thanks, drawing is really fun. I do it to record memories like you do with your camera.”

 

Once we’re all finished eating we split the bill and get up. The owner shakes Jackson’s hand one last time and waves us all goodbye.

 

Then we walk back to the hotel, thanking Jackson for a fun evening. 

 

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves.” He beams.

 

We get into the elevator together and Jihoon, Vernon, Chan and I say our goodbyes as we get off on our floor.

 

“Night guys.” I say before entering into mine and Seungkwan’s room. He says hi, not taking his eyes from some game he’s playing while sat on the armchair.

 

I kick off my shoes and flop face first into my bed. 

 

“How was it?” He asks, his eyes not leaving the screen. 

 

I turn around on my side to face him. “It was really nice, we had a lot of fun.”

 

“That’s good, maybe everyone will do something after tomorrow night.”

 

“I’d like that, but we’ve got to make it through tomorrow first.” I grab my pjs and walk into the bathroom to change. While I’m in there I brush my teeth and wash my face, before applying some new face cream that Josh recommended.

 

It’s straight under the covers once I leave the bathroom. Seungkwan was already dressed for sleeping and is now watching a video on his phone in bed. 

 

“Night Boo.” I turn off the lights from a switch hovering over my beside table. 

 

“Night Cami.” He replies 

 

The whole day before the show starts is a blur, everything flashes by. Getting to the venue, then one last practice, then getting told our seats, then getting our outfits, then makeup.

 

In reality it took hours but it feels like in the blink of an eye I went from waking up to all thirteen of us being sat alongside loads of groups with thousands of fans surrounding us at one of the biggest shows of the year.

 

 

“This is insane.” I say to Jun.

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people at once.” He admits in slight shock.

 

“And they’re all going to see how amazing we are!” Mingyu enthuses. 

 

Soon the hosts come on stage and it begins. We watch politely until the show’s staff give us the cue to get backstage.

 

“Is this similar to what you’d wear at your old school?” Minghao asks about our matching red tartan school outfits while we wait.

 

“Yeah it is, except green and nowhere near as stylish.” I’m glad to have him to talk to as my nerves are creeping back on me. Soonyoung seems to notice this.

 

“Nervous?” I nod.

 

Soonyoung takes my hands in his and looks into my eyes. 

 

“You’ve made so much progress in such a short time. Cami you’re one of the most determined people I’ve ever met. This is a big moment, but you’ve worked so hard for it. We’re all going to be up there together as a team and we’re gonna give it our all.”

 

“Basically you’ve got no choice but to ace it.” Jun adds.

 

“Yeah, you’ve got this.” Soonyoung agrees.

 

“Okay.” I take a deep breath, my gaze not leaving his. “I’ve got this.”

 

He lets go and gives me thumbs up with his classic grin. A small part of me wishes he’d held my hands a little longer. But I use his words to keep any nerves at bay as it’s finally time to go. 

 

The actual thing is 100 times better than any practice with thousands of people cheering us on. This is what I love the most about dancing, about performing. Turning an idea in your head into something everyone can see and enjoy. 

 

The celebration of both our groups is hushed after we walk back off stage but the excitement is still there. 

 

The rest of the show is enjoyable. The biggest artists make up the main part of the show and there’s such a talented lineup this year.

 

We don’t win Best Male Artist, but being able to perform at such a prestigious show is a reward itself.

 

Before we know it, it’s all over. As the audience leaves the venue, the groups have the chance to socialise backstage, making plans on how to celebrate. Some people just want to get some well deserved rest while others head to a bar for some drinks.

 

When I have a moment to myself I check my phone. It’s another message from Damien.

 

Damien: You were amazing out there!

Me: Thank you, it was amazing being there, I can’t believe it actually happened 

Damien: Don’t forget me when you’re famous :p

 

I smile to myself and keep on moving.

 

Us minors have made our own plans. Bambam and Yugyeom have kindly invited Mingyu, Vernon, Seungkwan and Chan for a little get together in their room along with Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu.

 

We show up at their hotel door with lots of snacks, ready to relax and have fun.

 

“Welcome to the partayyy.” Bambam opens the door happily.

 

“We brought snacks.” I state as we trail through the door.

 

“Cool, just drop them on the desk.”

 

Everyone is scattered around the room, on the beds, floor and chairs. The room has a similar layout to mine and Seungkwan’s but is slightly bigger.

 

“Hey guys!” Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu welcome us together.

 

“Cami come sit here.” Dahyun beckons me to a space on the bed where she’s sat with Mina and Chaeyoung. I plop down beside them.

 

“You guys we’re amazing up there!” My heart swells at Mina’s compliment.

 

“Aww thank you! You guys were great too.”

 

“Cami liked it a lot, she was dancing along in her seat.” Seungkwan teases.

 

“What? It was really catchy!” I defend myself with a pout. The girls laugh at me and Seungkwan’s antics.

 

“Let’s take a picture.” Tzuyu whips her phone out and gets our attention so we gather at the foot of the bed. We get a few nice pictures then Yugyeom, Mingyu and Bambam photobomb us.

 

“Okay.” Chaeyoung rolls her eyes jokingly. “How about a group photo?” 

 

Everyone squeezes into the front camera’s view. Tzuyu counts down “Three, two, one.” Before taking the photos.

 

“We should play truth or dare.” Bambam suggests. 

 

“That could be fun. Jihyo agrees and so do the rest of us.

 

We gather round in the centre of the room in a circle shape. I’m sat in between Yugyeom and Dahyun on the floor.

 

“I’ll do questions.” Bambam decides. “Who’s going first?”

 

“I’ll do it.” Jihyo volunteers.

 

“Truth or dare?”

 

“Truth.” Jihyo answers.

 

“What’s your most embarrassing moment from training?” He asks.

 

“It was my first month of training. I was still getting used to the building. I’d walked into the studio for practice but I’d gone into the wrong studio, the one 2PM were practicing in. I was so embarrassed! 

 

I apologised and tried to leave quickly but I walked head first into the door, not realising the door had closed behind me.”

 

 

“Ooo that’s bad.” Mingyu winces.

 

“Yeah, it was all I could think about for ages. I checked my schedule twice before entering a room for a year.” Jihyo reminisces.

 

“Now... Mingyu. Truth or dare?”

 

“Let’s make it interesting, dare.” Mingyu decides.

 

“Pick someone to go up against in a rap battle. Loser gets a cup of water poured on them.” Bambam tells him.

 

Mingyu looks around the circle with a mischievous glint in his eye. “I pick Chaeyoung.”

 

“I’m definitely not losing.” Chaeyoung says confidently.

 

Each of us gives them a sound to make a verse from as they go head to head. Chaeyoung’s prediction comes true when Mingyu fails to come up with a sentence and Bambam declares him the loser. 

 

She doesn’t hesitate to fill a glass with water, get Mingyu out the circle and proudly pour it over his head.

 

But Mingyu, determined not to go down alone, shakes the excess water off him after sitting back in his spot, like a puppy coming out of a puddle. This is to the displeasure of Seungkwan and Mina who are unfortunately sat next to him.

 

 

“I’m going to ask... Cami.” My turn already? Alright. I turn to face Bambam. 

 

“Truth or dare?”

 

“Hmm, truth.” I reply.

 

“Do you have a crush on anyone in your group?” Bambam’s question leaves an awkward feeling in the air. The room is suddenly silent, everyone is looking at Bambam

 

“You can’t ask that!” Mina punches Bambam in the arm. He makes an exaggerated ‘ow’ noise and rubs his arm.

 

“No.” I scoff. I mean for it to sound joking and care free but it comes out sounding really defensive.  

 

“You sure?” Mingyu attempts to make the situation more lighthearted with his teasing.

 

“No... you’re like brothers to me.” The room breaks out in mostly female ‘aww’ noises. 

 

“Really?” Vernon looks shocked and I’m not sure if that should make me happy or sad.

 

“Well... yeah. I know we haven’t known each other that long but being with you guys feels like a second family. You’ve been so supportive of me and I feel like I’ve become a better, more confident person because of all of you.” I’m sure no one expected such a sappy moment from such a shocking question, but it does end with a nice group hug and even more bonding. 

 

It would be sweeter if I wasn’t lying to myself. Well, not lying, just not being truthful. I don’t like Soonyoung but I do feel weird around him sometimes. A good weird. A ‘I like when he touches me’ weird. Not touching me like that, that’s weird. Like when he gives a hug or holds my hand, things friends do that I feel too happy when he does it to me. But I don’t feel weird when I hug Seungkwan or play fight with Mingyu or make up a handshake with Minghao. What’s wrong with me?

 

The rest of the night is just as fun. Bambam gives intriguing questions and interesting dares and we all give our answers and actions. But there are flights that need to be caught in the morning so it all has to come to an end. We say our goodbyes and go back to our rooms. Our busy, clashing schedules mean we probably won’t hang out like this again for some time. But with music and variety shows or the rare day off, our paths are bound to cross.

 

We’ve got to go back to Korea and prepare for another night of important performances.